Rolling music box



July 15, 1969 R. I. GENIN 3,455,051 ROLLING MUSIC BOX 3 Sheets-Sheei 1Filed Jan. 5, 1967 BY W Filed Jan, 5' 1967 GENIN ROLLING MUSIC OX 5Sheet 2 INVE OR.

#0359712. GE/V/A/ nited States Patent 01 3,455,051 ROLLING MUSIC BOXRobert I. Genin, Scarsdale, N.Y., assignor to Child Guidance Toys Inc.,Bronx, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 5, 1967, Ser. No.607,462 Int. Cl. A63h /00; Gf 11/06 US. Cl. 46111 5 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to musical toys, and inparticular to a rolling music box which when pulled by a child, producesmelodic effects.

Various forms of rolling, sound-producing toys exist which take the formof a small, string-drawn cart, such that as the toy is pulled by thechild, sounds are produced. These toys generally include a reciprocatingclapper mechanism operatively coupled to the wheels of the cart andarranged to strike tone bars or bells, or to actuate reeds. The tonesgenerated by such toys are repetitive in nature so that one or a smallgroup of notes are endlessly repeated. Hence while the child is able toproduce tones as he pulls his cart, these sounds are not in a melodicpattern. As a consequence, the child quickly wearies of such toys and oftheir repetitive sounds.

In a music box, sounds are produced in a melodic sequence and withharmonic effect, by means of a cylinder having pins thereon so arrangedcircumferentially as to actuate one or more reeds or othersound-producing elements. The music so produced depends on the patternof pins on the cylinder, and by the use of different cylinders, avariety of musical compositions may be played. Such devices, which areof elaborate construction, are usually operated by spring-wound motors.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide arolling music box which is adapted to play a musical piece when the boxis pulled.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide arolling music box having a series of tone-producing Xylophone barsmounted thereon, as well as a cylinder having a like series ofcircumferential tracks, each having tabs projecting therefrom at spacedpositions in a predetermined pattern, the tabs in each track actuating arespective hammer which is pivotally arranged to strike a correspondingbar, the cylinder being operatively geared to a set of wheels whereby,as the box is pulled, the cylinder is rotated to cause the clappers tostrike the bars in a sequence producing melodic effects.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a rolling music boxcapable of playing various musical pieces without changing the cylinder.

Also an object of the invention is to provide a rolling music box of theabove-identified type which is of simple and efficient design, which isrelatively foolproof and reliable in operation, and capable ofwithstanding rough handling.

Briefly stated, these objects are accomplished in a device including arolling box having two sets of wheels, and means to pull the cart, abank of tone bars being arranged between the side walls adjacent one endof the box, the bars being of progressively varying length, whereby eachbar produces a distinct tone. Rotatably mounted lice adjacent the otherend of the box between the side walls thereof is a cylinder which isoperatively geared to the front wheels of the cart, whereby as thesewheels are turned, the cylinder is caused to rotate. The cylinder isdivided into a series of circular tracks equal in number to the bars,each track having a group of tabs projecting therefrom at spacedpositions in a predetermined pattern.

Interposed between the cylinder and the bank of bars is a like series ofseesaw levers, one end of each lever being in the path of a respectivetrack on the cylinder, the opposing end bearing a hammer which normallyrests on a corresponding bar. As the box is pulled and the cylinder iscaused to rotate, the tabs on each track successively engage the end ofthe associated lever, causing a seesaw action wherein the hammer israised and then dropped to strike its associated bar. The pattern oftabs on the several tracks is made such as to produce a sequence oftones in a melodic pattern.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objectsand further features thereof, reference is made to the followingdescription to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rolling music-box toy in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the toy;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section taken through the toy in the planeindicated by lines 33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by lines 4-4in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows in perspective the track structure of the cylinder; and

FIG. 6 is a modified track structure in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the rolling music box includes a carthaving a rear wall 10 and a pair of parallel side walls 11 and 12, aswell as a rear set of wheels 13 and 14 and a front set 15 and 16. Thecart is pulled by a string S. Supported within the cart between sidewalls 11 and 12, is a bank of six tone-producing Xylophone-type bars 17.The bars rest across the parallel bridges 18 and 19 spanning the sidwalls of the cart, the bridges being formed in a molded frame member.Each bar is provided with a pair of spaced holes to admit a pair of pins20 and 21 projecting upwardly from the bridges. Rubber spacer rings 22and 23 are interposed between the undersurface of the bar and thebridges to acoustically isolate the bars from the bridges, and to permitthe bars to vibrate freely.

Mounted for rotation between the side walls of the cart adjacent rearwall 10 thereof is a cylinder 24. Cylinder 24 is operatively coupled tothe rear set of wheels 13 and 14, so that as the cart is drawn and thewheels turn on the ground or floor, the cylinder is caused to revolve ata rate appropriate to the tempo of the music to be produced. Inasmuch asa single full revolution of the cylinder causes the bars to be struck ina sequence producing all notes of the melody, it is essential that thegear ratio between the cylinder be such that as the wheels make as manyturns as is necessary to cause the cart to travel say, ten to twentyfeet, the cylinder completes only one revolution.

To this end, wheels 13 and 14 are secured to the ends of a shaft 25,which as best seen in FIG. 4, extends coaxially through the cylinder andpasses through side walls 11 and 12, which are of hollow construction.One end of cylinder 24 is enclosed by a cup-shaped member 26 having agear-toothed hub portion 27, through which shaft 25 passes. Secured toshaft 25 within cup member 26 is a pinion 28 which intermeshes with agear 29, mounted on a spindle 30 supported in side wall 11. Gear 29 isintegral with a smaller gear 31, also mounted on spindle 30, gear 31intermeshing with the teeth on the surface of hub 27.

Thus as wheels 13 and 14 turn, pinion 28 turns gear 29, which throughgear 31 turns hub gear 27, thereby driving the cylinder. The gear trainratio is such as to provide a desired rate of cylinder movement for theanticipated rate of wheel movement. When a child pulls the box, helearns through experience to pull the cart at a speed causing the musicto play at the proper tempo.

To facilitate manufacture and assembly, cylinder 24 is constituted bysix interlocking collars A, B, C, D, E and F, one for each of the sixbars in the bank. It will be appreciated that in practice a greater orsmaller number may be used, depending on how complex or simple a musicalsystem is desired. Each collar, which may be individually molded ofplastic material, constitutes a record track and includes, as best seenin FIG. 5, in connection with collar A, a ring portion Ar of reduceddiameter which is telescopically received within the adjacent collar B.To properly orient the various collars, each collar includes on its ringportion a tongue At which enters a groove Bg in the adjacent collar B.

Molded on each of the track collars and projecting radially therefrom,are small rectangular tabs 32, the tabs on each track being spaced fromeach other in a predetermined pattern. As the cylinder rotates, the tabsengage the ends of a bank of seesaw levers 33, the levers all beingsupported on a common fulcrum rod 34 extending between walls 11 and 12.Attached to the opposing ends of these levers by means of sticks 35, areball-shaped hammers 36, the length of the sticks being such that eachhammer normally rests at the center of one of the six tone bars 17.

Thus as the cylinder rotates in the clockwise direction, the tabs oneach track are successively brought into contact with the associatedlever, and as the tab moves downwardly, the engaged end of the leverswings in the same direction, causing the opposing end to rise and tolift the hammer above the associated bar. As the tab continues to move,it slips out of engagement with the end of the lever, thus releasing itand causing the hammer to fall onto the bar to strike a tone.

It will be obvious that two or more bars may be struck simultaneously toproduce harmonic effects and chords. By making the gear ratio such thatthe cylinder turns slowly, and by making the spacing between tabsrelatively short, the length of the musical composition to be played canbe made fairly long.

In the embodiment disclosed above, the tabs are permanently afiixed t0the tracks, hence only one composition can be played. It is alsopossible, using essentially the same toy construction, to provide forreplaceable tabs such that the child can set up various tab patterns toplay any melody within the range of the tone bars. Tothis end, as shownin FIG. 6, the cylinder is made up of collars AA, etc., each having aseries of equispaced slots-S S etc., formed therein about thecircumference, the slots being adapted to receive removable tabs 32. Thecollars may, for this purpose, be made of a resilient synthetic plasticto provide a clamping action on the tabs.

In this arrangement, the child may be provided with music sheets fordifferent tunes, with instructions to place tabs in particular slots oneach track, which slots may be numbered or otherwise identified.

What I claim is:

1. A rolling music box adapted to play a musical composition andcomprising:

(a) a cart which may be pulled by a child, said cart having at least oneset of wheels supported at the ends of a shaft,

(b) a hollow cylinder rotatably mounted across said cart on said shaftand having a series of circumferential tracks thereon, one end of saidcylinder being enclosed by a cup-shaped member positioned within saidcylinder and having a gear-toothed hub concentric with said shaft,

(c) means operatively coupling said set of wheels to said cylinder tocause it to make one revolution for a predetermined number of wheelrotations, said means including a pinion mounted on the shaft withinsaid member and first and second gears supported on a common spindlealso positioned within said member, said first gear engaging saidpinion, said second gear engaging said hub,

(d) a group of tabs projecting from each of said tracks,

the tabs in each group having a predetermined number and spacingappropriate to said composition,

(e) a like series of tone producing elements, and

(f) means associated with each track and actuated by the tabs thereon toactivate a corresponding element.

2. A rolling music box as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cylinder isconstituted by a series of interlocking collars, each constituting atrack, said cup-shaped member nesting in an end collar in said series.

3. A rolling music box as set forth in claim 2, wherein each collarhas aseries of equispaced slots therein adapted to receive removable tabs.

4. A rolling music box as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elementsare constituted by a series of Xylophone bars of varying length.

5. A rolling music box as set forth in claim 4, wherein said activatingmeans are constituted by a like series of seesaw levers, one end of eachlever being disposed in the path of the tabs on a respective track, ahammer being attached to the other end to strike an associated element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1934 Lauter 84-95 1/ 1968Nomura 461 11 U.S. Cl. X.R. 84--95

